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WITH ATTITUDE
I think patrons-with-attitude are endemic in the archives, library,
division of motor vehicles, tourist site, store, etc. It probably starts
as the I-don't-want-to-appear-stupid syndrome. Thus, reluctance to
approach a computer terminal (the hardware, software and printers are NOT
all alike and knowable everywhere). Ditto for asking vague questions or
conversely insisting that you go to a specific resource because the patron
"knows" it's the right one. Whatever the disfunctional attitude, it's
designed to fend off the imagined rejection/disgust of the service
provider as the patron suffers the imagined shame of not knowing
something. In this country that seems to value do-it-yourself, rugged
individualism, not knowing something can be a major defect. Of course,
there are those folks who are so sure of their importance and their right
to be catered to that they don't have to be polite or even clear about
what they want. Spice of life? Luckily in Hawaii there is a "spirit of
aloha" not totally modernized/americanized out of existence that produces
less attitude than I've seen elsewhere. Aloha.
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Ellen L. Chapman
Archivist for Congressional Papers voice: (808) 944-7656
University of Hawaii at Manoa Library fax: (808) 956-5968
2550 The Mall email: ellen@hawaii.edu
Honolulu, HI 96822 USA
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